Bar scam rocks Assembly; House adjourns after Opposition's protest

For the second consecutive day, the Kerala Assembly proceedings were disrupted after Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led Left Democratic Fund (LDF) Opposition continued their protests against United Democratic Fund government, this time over the bar bribery scam, following which the House was adjourned.

The Opposition members trooped into the well of the House and raised slogans against the government, standing in front of the speaker's dais and holding aloft a banner, soon after Speaker N Sakthan rejected their notice, seeking permission to move an adjournment motion over the bar issue.

The speaker rejected their plea, stating that discussing a subject, which was before a court, would be a violation of the Assembly rules.

Sakthan then invited Congress leader N Muraleedharan for the discussion over the thanksgiving motion on the governor's address.

As the Opposition members squatted at the well and continued raising slogans, the speaker later adjourned the House.

Expressing strong resentment on the rejection of their notice, Opposition Deputy Leader Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said it was a violation of their rights and said the House had the right to discuss the bar scam, which had rocked the state.

State Opposition leader V S Achuthanandan also disapproved the speaker's decision to not permit them to move the motion.

LDF had disrupted the Assembly proceedings on Tuesday over the solar scam.